Plant husbandry – Receptacle for growing medium – Sectional construction
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-28
2003-03-04
Abbott, Yvonne (Department: 3644)
Plant husbandry
Receptacle for growing medium
Sectional construction
C047S075000, C047S086000, C047S041140, C047S033000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06526693
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to method and apparatus for proving renewable in-ground planting arrangements in a defined ground area such as a garden or cemetery plot. The apparatus aspect of the invention comprises a rigid receptacle body and one or more typically interchangeable insert bodies which can pre-charged with soil and plant life and placed into the receptacle as hereinafter described. The receptacle body is designed to have a broad, essential planer peripheral flange surrounding a cavity or a set of cavities which extend into the earth when the body is installed. The insert bodies also have top peripheral flanges and are dimensioned and shaped to fit into the receptacle cavities. The method of use involves charging the inserts with soil and living plants and exchanging new charged inserts for old inserts with dead or out-of-season plant life. The manufacturing method can involve either thermoforming or injection molding the bodies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flowers and plantings are used to beatify many areas of landscape architecture including gardens, homes, burial sites and memorials. Living plants can be provided by placing pots or other containers on the ground; cut flowers can be provided in plastic vases which, according to the prior art, can be placed into receptacles which are semi-permanently installed in the ground. The latter lacks the beauty and permanence of living flowers and the former lacks the aesthetic appeal of in-ground plantings.
While in-ground plantings are preferred for aesthetic purposes, they are, of course, subject to certain drawbacks including theft, vandalism, and difficulty in both installation and maintenance. Of primary concern is the matter of maintaining a peripheral border between the planted area and the surrounding grass so that mowers can be used on the grass without disturbing or destroying the plantings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary objective of our present invention to provide an apparatus which facilitates the creation of in-ground plantings of living flowers, flora and plant life while at the same time simplifying the tasks of installation and maintenance. In general this is achieved by providing a relatively deep receptacle body of rigid non-corrosive material which can be installed in the ground with a broad peripheral flange at ground level and one or more cavities formed within the flange and extending into the earth to a depth of about five inches or more.
Our objective is further achieved by providing a plurality of insert bodies having top peripheral flanges and which are shaped and dimensioned to fit into the cavities with the peripheral flanges thereof partially overlaying the peripheral flange of the receptacle body. In accordance with our invention these inserts are charged with soil and plantings such that may be simply installed in the receptacle cavities and renewed or replaced from time to time with additional pre-charged inserts on a periodic or seasonal basis.
In accordance with our invention the receptacle body and inserts are provided with one or more features which especially adapt them to their intended use. First, the receptacle body, when it is formed with two or more insert-receiving cavities, is rigidified so as to be tolerant of rough treatment and the loading which may be caused by being overrun with the wheels of lawn maintenance equipment. In general this is achieved by a tying together the adjacent sidewalls of the multiple cavities in one of various ways. In the most specific form hereinafter defined the tying of adjacent cavity sidewalls is achieved in a thermoforming operation by locally fusing sidewall areas to one another when the plastic material from which the receptacle bodies are formed are hot and semi-fluid in nature. The elements of the apparatus can, however, be injection molded in which case alternative methods of sidewall joining can be employed.
Another feature involves the formation of a pattern of raised areas in the floor of the receptacle cavities and the dimensioned of the bodies such that the floor of an insert sits on or just above the raised pattern when the flange of the insert seats on the receptacle flange. This helps to prevent the inserts and receptacles from freezing together and also helps to maintain plant roots above any standing water. The inserts and receptacles are preferably provided with drain holes.
Another feature is the provision of a recessed land in the receptacle flange so that the insert flange seats within it. This avoids a high profile which could be damaged by lawn mower blades when the inserts are in place.
Another feature is the provisions of multiple recess in the receptacle flange in adjacent and underlying relationship to the insert flanges when the inserts are installed. This greatly facilitates removal of the inserts from the receptacle, especially when they are loaded with soil and flowers.
It is a further objective our invention to provide receptacle bodies of different shapes and sizes so as to accommodate a large number of different landscape architectural situations and settings. As hereinafter set forth, this is achieved by providing square, rectangular, semi-circular, and circular arrangements with corresponding shapes, cavities, and inserts so as to provide the appropriate aesthetics while still retaining the structural integrity and rigidity of the apparatus as described above.
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Abbott Yvonne
Insta-Bed Floral Systems, Inc.
Law Offices of John Chupa and Associates, P. C.
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